Friday, May 27, 2016

Another great LP featuring the classic 1960s Stoneman Family lineup, including fiddle whiz Scotty, is budget issue on Liberty's Susset imprint. Issued in 1968, it is comprised of recordings of a 1964 performance in Hollywood. All in all a nice companion to the previously posted Starday album, both of which highlight the unique take on Bluegrass the Stonemans presented to appreciative audiences during the 1960s folk revival.

Tracks:

1. Big Ball In Monterey2. Little Maggie3. Dominique4. The Girl I Left In Tennessee5. Lost Ball In The High Weeds6. Groundhog7. Take Me Home8. Darlin' Corey9. Dark As A Dungeon10. Fire On The Mountain

Saturday, May 21, 2016

This 1966 LP is comprised of tracks the legendary Stoneman Family recorded at Starday Studios in Nashville in 1962/63. Featured are the classic lineup of Van on guitar, Scotty on fiddle, Donna on mandolin, Roni on banjo, Jimmy on bass, and occasionally Pop on autoharp and guitar. All contribute vocals. Enjoy!

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Bluegrass legend Mac Martin and his band "The Dixie Travelers" made four classic albums for the Rural Rhythm label between 1968 and 1971. This was a really great and possibly underrated band and I really feel these albums stand up very well against any of the classic era stuff, and I am pleased to present all four of them here in their entirety. Below is a brief biography of Mac from allmusic.com:

b. William D. Colleran, 26 April 1925, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA. Colleran began his career as a teenager singing with Ed Brozi in a touring medicine show, and was influenced by acts such as the Monroe Brothers and the Blue Sky Boys. After World War II, he became interested in bluegrass music. In 1949, he and his band played regularly on WHJB Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and since there were three members of the band called Bill, he decided he would become Mac Martin. In the early 50s, he was noted for his banjo playing and fine vocal work, and in 1953, was playing with a band on WHOD Homestead, Pennsylvania, which was likened to that of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. In 1957, he and his band took a residency at Walsh’s Lounge in Pittsburg where they played weekly for the next 15 years. In 1963, the Travelers recorded two albums for Gateway records, although only one was released. A few years later, they recorded four albums for Rural Rhythm. Noted mandolin specialist Bob Artis (b. 26 July 1946, Santa Monica, California, USA) joined the band and when Mac Martin left for a time in 1972, Artis took over. In 1974, when the band recorded for County, Martin had returned. In addition to his playing, Artis wrote many articles for publications such asBluegrass Unlimited and Muleskinner News, and his bookBluegrass was published in 1975.

I first heard of Mac Martin as an adolescent when I checked Bob Artis' great book "Bluegrass" out of the local library and read it cover to cover, and I am glad to pass this great music along. Enjoy!

1. Charlotte Breakdown2. Sparklin' Brown Eyes3. I'll Be A Friend4. Stacey Lynn5. Have You Come To Say Goodbye6. Resurrection Morn7. Durham's Reel8. I Can't Forget9. Corn Bread10. This Rambler's Ramblin'11. Greenfields12. Swinging A Nine Pound Hammer13. The Last Request14. My Bonnie Banjo15. Is She Praying There16. How Will The Flowers Bloom17. Sugar In The Gourd18. Some Must Win19. Going Home This Evening20. Lee Highway Blues

1. Backtrackin'2. After Dark3. This World Can't Stand Long4. Fiddler's Farewell5. Come Back Darling6. If You See My Savior7. Moonlight Waltz8. Nobody Cares9. I'll Live On10. Fourteen Days In Georgia11. When The Cold Rain Is Falling12. Wake Up Susan13. Will You Miss Me14. East Tennessee Blues15. Guilty Tears16. Last Waltz17. Weary Heart18. I'm Waiting To Hear You Call Me Darling19. Dixie Breakdown20. A Silent Place

Good morning! For today's "Starday Saturday" feature, we go back to 1956 for the second LP the label issued, "Hillbilly Hit Parade". The idea seems to have been to combine some of the label's early hits (such as George Jones' "Why Baby Why" and Red Hayes' "A Satisfied Mind") with covers other artists' hits performed by 1950s Starday mainstays George Jones, Leon Payne, Jeanette Hicks, Benny Barnes, and Eddie Noack (credited here as "Eddie Blank"). Ol' George even takes on Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel" as "Thumper Jones", a handle that was used on a few of the possum's forays into rockabilly.

Liner notes are as follows:

Country music has come a long way in recent years. Many believe that so-called hillbilly music spread rapidly in popularity during and after the war. The vast movement of people from place to place resulted in widespread exposure to a sincere type of music that tells a story.The artists who have helped spread the popularity of country music are too numerous to mention, but certain songs have come to the front. These are the songs that are performed on records, in the home and in juke boxes, on radio, on T.V., in movies, and on stages all over America. These are the songs of the people, This is Americana in every sense of the word.Starday Records has selected the sixteen most popular country songs of the past few months and they have been recorded by top artists with the sound and arrangement which made the songs so successful.It would normally cost $16.00 or more to purchase the 16 top country songs on single records. By combining the songs on one record, the top country songs in America are available at less than 1/5th the price that would ordinarily prevail.It is the public who make the hits and here in one collection are the country hits of today.Watch for future issues of The Hillbilly Hit Parade on Starday long play records.

>>> A related 1958 LP on the Mercury-Starday label, also titled
"Hillbilly Hit Parade" but containing different selections, was
previously featured on Scratchy Attic and may still be downloaded, click
here. <<<

Sunday, May 8, 2016

For Sunday morning, here's some great vintage country gospel from the mighty Rural Rhythm catalog. First released on LP in 1961, this collection of twenty tunes is performed by Rev. G.M. Farley accompanied by The Wear Family; both Farley and the Wears were featured on many early Rural Rhythm albums.
There is little information on Farley to be found on the net, but http://www.hankwilliamslistings.com/ has the following bio:

FARLEY, G. M.Give Name: George Milburn Farley, Jr.Date of Birth: January 16, 1927Place of Birth: Kayford, West VirginiaDate of Death: November, 1991Marital Status: Francis E. CastleChildren: 3Musical Style: Bluegrass/Country GospelTalents: Fiddle, Guitar, Singer, SongwriterRev. G. M. Farley was a coal miner like his father, until he was called into the Gospel Ministry around 1950. Before his conversion he had a bluegrass band called Fiddling Slim Blue in which he played the fiddle and sang.Part of his church ministry was singing, so in the 1960's cut several albums with Rural Rhythm Records. These were sold mostly in his evangelistic meetings and by Rural Rhythm Records' mail order service.He always planned on doing another album with just songs that he had written but never got around to it. Most of his free time was committed to his writing. He had numerous articles and several books published. He was also an accomplished artist with oil painting.He pioneered Trinity Bible Church in 1977, which is still thriving today.

The present transfer is from a 1990 cassette issue and although, like many early Rural Rhythm albums, the selections are on the short side and the fidelity not optimal, it is still an enjoyable collection of traditional country gospel. Incidentally, another collection of vintage G.M. Farley recordings is available for download here.

Tracks:

1. When I Lay My Burden Down
2. He Set Me Free
3. There's Going To Be A Meeting
4. When I Call Him
5. Only A Prayer
6. Need The Prayers Of Those I Love
7. Everybody Talks About Heaven
8. Down By The Riverside
9. Home Coming In Heaven
10. The Great Speckled Bird
11. Glory Bound Train
12. Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
13. I Don't See A Reason
14. Kneel At The Feet Of Jesus
15. On The Inside Looking Out
16. House Of Gold
17. Where Shall Be
18. Pass Me Not
19. He Came A Long Way
20. My Boy's Bible

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Another Starday Saturday here at Scratchy Attic in today's post of the 1965 LP "Wild Child Roger Miller - Madcap Sensation of Country Music". The recordings contained on the album were recorded 1957-1960 when Miller was a struggling honky-tonk singer who had been brought to the attention of Starday by his buddy George Jones. In fact, ol' George can be clearly heard singing the harmony on "You're Forgetting Me". These recordings were originally singles, demos, and uncredited cover tracks on early Starday collections which featured covers of contemporary country hits of the time. The LP was obviously issued to capitalize on Miller's mainstream 1960s success, but it preserves some great classic raw Starday honky-tonk in the process. Enjoy!